Relationships:
Expelled from the Black Horse Troop 13, New member of the Orlmarth Clan 1W, Protector and sponsor (Marusa) 16

Flaws:
Very much an outsider in the clan 14W, Takes himself way to serious 2W, Young 13

HP: 1

Bio:

Expelled from the Black Horse Troop for refusing to kill an innocent woman, the young Ridderan Gest wandered aimlessly over much of Dragon Pass. He finally came across the woman’s clan and was adopted into it. Not yet fully accepted, he patrols the Orlmarth borders on his newly trained horse, his Lightning Sword at his side. His tactical training and height give him an edge in fighting barbarians. Still adhering to the teachings of St. Atrox, he presents a fearsome image with his ritual scars, unflinching endurance and hell-forged dark armour. He carries the Ninth Sigil of Slontos and is slowly learning the customs of the Orlanthi.

“We follow Sir Ethilrist, a great hero from another place and time. He is hundreds if not thousands of years old. He harrowed Hell, you know. That is where he got the Black Horses we ride, the steeds who terrify everyone unlucky enough to face us on the battlefield. Because, you see, they are not horses. They are demons. Demons with powers awful to behold. They get into our souls, them demons do. Each of us is picked out by one of these steeds when its previous rider is killed in combat. Each has its own personality, and chooses us accordingly. We riders come and go – live and die – but the steeds, they continue on.

We live at Muse Roost. Sir Ethilrist hires us out as mercenaries, to finance his continuing work on that place. He wants to make it perfect. We do not have to understand this perfection to fight well for him. He cares about us and writes our stories down in the great big book he is always writing. If it were not for Ethilrist, we would be outlaws or stickpickers. We are cast-offs who have been given a second chance. We used to be Orlanthi, Grazer, Sun Domer, and Tarshites, even Uz. Now we are members of the Black Horse Troop. We can only be grateful for the opportunity he has given us."

Sir Ethilrist was born in Slontos several generations after the Gbaji Wars ended. He fought against the God Learners when they invaded Slontos, leading a mercenary band known as the White Horse Troop. After several years of battle he was on the losing side at the Battle of Dengeren and fled north, pursued closely by his foes all the way to the Mislari Mountains. He crossed them through a secret pass which has not been found to this day. He spent more time in Ralios fighting as a mercenary, and achieved agelessness around 1050. Seeking greater power he took his entire White Horse Troop to the Underworld. There they found the home of the diokos demons, wild and powerful horse-shaped carnivores. Ethilrist defeated their stallion king in a long and arduous contest and gained the right for he and his men to take the demons as steeds, if they could. Many did. Later during his quest he met the Hound of Zeral and made it his own personal steed, and later still he wrested the Cloak of Darkness from Dehore.

Ethilrist and his demon-mounted Black Horse Troop escaped the Underworld when a portal opened and they entered it, unknowing of what lay beyond. They arrived back on the physical plane amidst a raging supernatural battle. Taking only a few moments to assess the situation Ethilrist threw in his lot with one side, and helped win victory for the Lunar Empire. This was later called the Nights of Horror, fought in 1506. For the next 20 years he fought for the empire from Pent to Charg. In 1527 he asked for a suitable reward from the Red Emperor and received a grant of lands in Dragon Pass (which were actually beyond the Emperor’s ability to grant). At that time he took for himself the title of Count, and began writing his memoirs in his monumental, twelve-volume A History of My Black Horse Troop. Whether or not it was intended, several volumes of work comprise a powerful grimoire, providing many blessings and spells to his followers.

Ethilrist fought for several years to evict the local Grazers who used the hills for their summer forage. By 1545 he had established the boundaries of his new land, Black Horse County. He named his home Muse Roost and his followers settled several smaller villages. He has served as a mercenary since, leading the Black Horse Troop into battle after battle throughout Genertela.

The members of the Black Horse Troop wear heavy armor and are mounted on demon steeds. They are extremely disciplined, and obey every order given to them. They are accompanied in battle by footmen armed with pole axes. Riders are promoted from the footmen, while footmen are raised from the peasant caste. Ethilrist currently has about 5,500 men under arms available to the highest bidder, including seven cavalry squadrons and two foot squadrons.

Ethilrist and his followers are members of a sect of Malkionism called the Atroxic Church. St. Atrox preached of Malkion the Stern. The Atroxi have strict caste lines, and upward mobility only occurs when Ethilrist chooses new members to join his troop. Religious mortification is widely practiced and sin is punished by public floggings, penance or branding. Saint Atrox predates the Abiding Book, and in fact part of his sacred text, the Book of Betrayal and Murder, is included in the Abiding Book.

What the Sartarites think: Evil sorcerers and murderers who are the slaves of the demons they ride. Ethilrist is an undying sorcerer who serves whoever pays him the most coin. Some say he is the last survivor of the blasphemous God Learners; regardless he is altogether evil.